The BioMelbourne Network Women in Leadership Awards celebrate groundbreaking leadership that transcends boundaries, fostering global impact. Since 2015, these prestigious awards have honored women leaders across Victoria's health technologies ecosystem, recognizing their contributions at various career stages. This year's recipients exemplify the transformative power of leadership, driving innovation and tangible results in health technologies, from discovery to global collaboration. The 2026 awardees are:
Distinguished Leadership Award: Associate Professor Megan Robertson, Group Chief Research Officer at St Vincent's Health Australia and Director of Research at St Vincent's Hospital, acknowledges the importance of recognizing women in leadership roles and providing role models for future leaders.
Inspiring Leadership Award: Associate Professor Jess Nithianantharajah, Co-Founder and Vice President, Translational Biology at Phrenix Therapeutics, Head of the Florey Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, and Head of Mental Health Research and Group Leader at the Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, emphasizes the significance of diversity, collaboration, and partnership in advancing global health outcomes.
Emerging Leadership Award: Professor Gemma Sharp, Professor of Research and Clinical Psychologist at Adelaide University, Founding Director of the Consortium for Research in Eating Disorders, and Founder and Owner of Sharp AIPsychology, highlights the risks taken to develop world-first AI chatbot commercial services and establish an international charity, supporting hundreds of thousands globally.
Vicky Jones, Acting CEO of BioMelbourne Network, emphasizes the Awards' role in fostering a diverse leadership pipeline in health and medtech, recognizing impact and innovation across career stages. The Awards ceremony, supported by the Victorian State Government, celebrated Victoria's commitment to an inclusive, globally connected health technologies ecosystem and future leadership development. Victoria's health technology sector, supported by leading universities and research institutes, is a global leader in medical equipment, biotechnology, and pharmaceuticals, with a diverse workforce and significant market capitalization.
The Awards ceremony, held on International Women and Girls in Science Day, brought together over 130 attendees, including health technology leaders, researchers, investors, and government representatives, showcasing the sector's dedication to diversity and innovation.
